What the heck am I doing wrong?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Vain_Witch
Posts: 476 Member
For the past few weeks I've been completely plateaued! (And before you look at my food diary and yell at me, it's at doctor's orders that I stick between 1,000 and 1,200 calories per day unless I add on more from exercise. Sometimes I have a hard time even reaching that because of the extreme low calories in the foods they put on this diet...it's basically just veggies (non starchy ones) and meat (non fatty ones), but they said that's ok as long as I'm really eating (I AM! A LOT!) and I'm not hungry (I'm really not...I feel like I eat all day!)).
Other than yesterday (when I completely snapped and ate pizza and bread), I've been following this stupid diet they put me on to a tee for almost two months! For the past few weeks, I've been going to the gym EVERY DAY and sometimes even TWICE a day! And, honestly, the exercise seems to be what stopped the weight loss....which doesn't make ANY sense!
And yet the scale isn't budging! It moves half a pound down, and then a pound back up...I think I've literally lost 1 pound in the last 2-3 weeks.
I'm not going to give up, but I'm hoping these tears that want to come out actually weigh something! :sad:
Other than yesterday (when I completely snapped and ate pizza and bread), I've been following this stupid diet they put me on to a tee for almost two months! For the past few weeks, I've been going to the gym EVERY DAY and sometimes even TWICE a day! And, honestly, the exercise seems to be what stopped the weight loss....which doesn't make ANY sense!
And yet the scale isn't budging! It moves half a pound down, and then a pound back up...I think I've literally lost 1 pound in the last 2-3 weeks.
I'm not going to give up, but I'm hoping these tears that want to come out actually weigh something! :sad:
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Replies
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I am having a similar issue. I have been on a 1200 calorie per day along with exercise 3 times per week. The first few days I was real excited because I lost a pound almost immediately. I haven't lost anything since. I am not going over my calorie budget at all. What is the heck am I doing wrong. All I need to loose is 20 lbs and I can't even loose 2.0
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I am having the same issue too. I've been eating really well and sticking to my 1200 calories.I also eat low cal food because that's what I prefer. I don't eat any desserts at all. Just don't like it. And been exercising 5 days a week. I am drench sweat some days.. but the scale seems to not move. Not just scale, I am also not losing any inches. Clothes are still the same. What am I doing wrong?0
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doctors are human too - and don't know everything. my experience is eating too little (which to me it sounds like you are - it deosn't make it right just because a doctor said to do it - they f' things up all the time!) doesn't help you lose weight. When I have plateaued, I have usually had to increase my calories. I amc urrently eating around 2000 calories a day, still losing (slowly, but that's because I don't have too much left to lose)..... not eating enough is like trying to drive your car without gas. doesn't produce your desired results. if your body is feeling like it's not getting enough, your metabolism slows, and you HOLD ON TO what little bit you put in.
also to the other poster - the less you have to lose the harder it is!0 -
Is there some medical reason that he has you on so few calories, or is this just his recommendation for losing weight?0
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Why did they put you on this diet? And since it doesn't appear to be working, do you feel you NEED to stick with it?0
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Do you notice the trend here? Everyone who is having a hard time losing is eating too few calories. Figure out your BMR and your TDEE. Make sure you NET somewhere in the middle.
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html0 -
For the past few weeks I've been completely plateaued! (And before you look at my food diary and yell at me, it's at doctor's orders that I stick between 1,000 and 1,200 calories per day unless I add on more from exercise. Sometimes I have a hard time even reaching that because of the extreme low calories in the foods they put on this diet...it's basically just veggies (non starchy ones) and meat (non fatty ones), but they said that's ok as long as I'm really eating (I AM! A LOT!) and I'm not hungry (I'm really not...I feel like I eat all day!)).
Other than yesterday (when I completely snapped and ate pizza and bread), I've been following this stupid diet they put me on to a tee for almost two months! For the past few weeks, I've been going to the gym EVERY DAY and sometimes even TWICE a day! And, honestly, the exercise seems to be what stopped the weight loss....which doesn't make ANY sense!
And yet the scale isn't budging! It moves half a pound down, and then a pound back up...I think I've literally lost 1 pound in the last 2-3 weeks.
I'm not going to give up, but I'm hoping these tears that want to come out actually weigh something! :sad:
the main thing you are doing wrong is being impatient.0 -
Guys, your probably building muscle. Your percentage body fat has probably gone down but the increase in muscle is making your weight stay the same for now.0
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Who put you on a diet? And what kind of diet is it?
You for sure aren't eating nearly enough!!
**Apparently I missed the doctor part, sorry!!
I'd get a second opinion.
Eat at a moderate deficit, put your settings to 1.0-1.5 pounds per week for a loss, and eat those calories. Eat at least half of the exercise cals (the estimates are rather high).
Is there a specific reason your doctor has you eating so low?0 -
Ask your doctor to refer you to a Registered Dietitian. Most doctors receive well under the recommended 25 hours of nutrition education. You need to be speaking to a specialist.0
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Add me to the chorus of voices suggesting you calculate BMR and set your net calorie goal to AT LEAST to that amount.
Try it.
No, really.
Take the leap and try it for awhile.
I think you'll be glad you did.0 -
I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!!
this was my post this morning....... (I'm 45 5'8 female)
"Ok I really want to cry I weighed myself this morning still 170!!! I don't f'ing get it??! what am I doing wrong? I bust my *kitten* at the gym I'm eating at or close to my goals. I understand plateaus but not when you start a diet!! WTF I've been exercising pretty much everyday since jan 2 and really watching what I eat except for maybe two or three days. I really cut back on my drinking."
I tried the TDEE and it says i should be eating 1800 to lose but i cant believe it!!
SOMEBODY HELP US!!!!!!!0 -
I've been dieting for years. I tried the 1000-1200 and didn't lose nothing.
I increased it to 1400-1500 and have been slowly losing. I just had a baby 4 months ago and have lost 25 pounds of the weight already. So, I'd recommend upping your calories a bit more and exercising.
If you eat too little for your body, it will put you in starvation mode. This is the only thing I can think of. Of course, everyone is different, but this worked for me!0 -
Guys, your probably building muscle. Your percentage body fat has probably gone down but the increase in muscle is making your weight stay the same for now.
Wrong. It is extremely difficult to gain muscle, especially eating at such a high deficit. Someone new to lifting may gain a bit, but not enough to mask fat loss.0 -
Watch this over and over. LEARN it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYi9xjIRvbY
Calculate your TDEE.
For weight loss.. minus 20% from your TDEE and eat that.
Figure out your BMR - and NEVER net below it.. The video explains all this!! Please watch :flowerforyou:0 -
Do you notice the trend here? Everyone who is having a hard time losing is eating too few calories. Figure out your BMR and your TDEE. Make sure you NET somewhere in the middle.
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
YESS
watch:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYi9xjIRvbY 0 -
Guys, your probably building muscle. Your percentage body fat has probably gone down but the increase in muscle is making your weight stay the same for now.
NO... You can't build muscle on a calorie defiict (ok, maybe newbie gains but not long term) and the OP, as a woman, will have an even harder time building muscle. The reason people plateau or have gains when they first start exercising is because the muscles retain water as part of the natural healing process. Think of it like when you twist your ankle, those tissues are inflamed and swell, right? The same thing is happening with your sore and tired muscles, it's just not as visible because it's spread over a larger area.0 -
It's this diet doctor that my friends have all gone to...and they've all successfully lost TONS of weight! One lost 80, one lost 50, and I'm not sure about the other...
To be fair, I have less to lose than they did. I'm down to needing to lose between 20 and 40 pounds (20 will get me into the healthy range...40 will put me closer to the bottom of my healthy range...)
For the first month, I wasn't allowed to eat anything except fish/meat, non-starchy vegetables and 2 servings of fruit per day. I lost 18 1/2 pounds that first month. Since then I keep losing and gaining another 2 pounds and I seem to be stuck around 20 pounds of weight loss. (The rest on my ticker was from before I started this diet).
Now that I'm past that first month, I'm allowed to eat a few more things, but I also had the food sensitivity testing done which took away a lot of my options...I can't have anything dairy, I can't have eggs, etc. I'm allowed more fruits now (in moderation) and I'm allowed a little more starch (again in moderation...like a serving of carrots once a week...stuff like that). And I was finally told yesterday that I can add in some more of the good carbs (again in moderation...a small serving of brown rice once a week...half a sweet potato...)0 -
It looks like to me that you are already exercising quite a bit. I don't think I ever exercise enough to warrant an additional 1000 calories+ added onto my MFP total. Does the doctor realize you are doing that much work?0
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For the past few weeks I've been completely plateaued! (And before you look at my food diary and yell at me, it's at doctor's orders that I stick between 1,000 and 1,200 calories per day unless I add on more from exercise. Sometimes I have a hard time even reaching that because of the extreme low calories in the foods they put on this diet...it's basically just veggies (non starchy ones) and meat (non fatty ones), but they said that's ok as long as I'm really eating (I AM! A LOT!) and I'm not hungry (I'm really not...I feel like I eat all day!)).
Other than yesterday (when I completely snapped and ate pizza and bread), I've been following this stupid diet they put me on to a tee for almost two months! For the past few weeks, I've been going to the gym EVERY DAY and sometimes even TWICE a day! And, honestly, the exercise seems to be what stopped the weight loss....which doesn't make ANY sense!
And yet the scale isn't budging! It moves half a pound down, and then a pound back up...I think I've literally lost 1 pound in the last 2-3 weeks.
I'm not going to give up, but I'm hoping these tears that want to come out actually weigh something! :sad:
I can tell you're pretty frustrated, and I don't blame you at all. I'd be frustrated if I were in your shoes.
You didn't mention anywhere in your post about other measurements - waist, hips, thighs, etc.. Have you taken any of those? I found last month that, while the scale didn't budge, I actually lost an inch off my waist. Perhaps your measurements have changed as well and you don't even know it! If you haven't taken any body measurements yet, go ahead and start now. That's a good way to track progress that won't show up on the scale.0 -
Do you notice the trend here? Everyone who is having a hard time losing is eating too few calories. Figure out your BMR and your TDEE. Make sure you NET somewhere in the middle.
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
I agree. Eat more. Your body isn't losing anything because it doesn't have enough fuel. Talk to your doctor about switching it up a bit.0 -
Hi - are you weighing yourself everyday? If so stop! Weigh in once (or maybe twice) a week. You could be building muscle from all your gym work - which weighs much heavier that fat. Good luck xx0
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Well, At least I know I am not alone! Weeks have gone by without losing anything! I watch and record EVERYTHING I eat. I walk, I exercize! Still very uneventfull weigh ins!0
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I would suggest seeing a registered dietician. Like another poster said, doctors are human too. And most only have a rudimentary experience with diet and weight loss - that's why there are dieticias, they have specialized in nutrition (I don't mean a nutritionist, which requires only a small amount of education and passing a test, but a registered dietician, which has a lot more training and maybe an MD).
Also, to everybody who's posted about being stuck with exercise - have you been doing measurements? Do your clothes fit differently? The number on the scale doesn't always tell the full story (in fact, it tells a very limited part of it). Maybe you are tightening up/losing inches even if you aren't dropping pounds. And that is still progress!!0 -
I understand that your calories are low, and that should be fine, but have you noticed that you're consistently over your sugar limit? Simple and complex carbs both cause water retention, but simple carbs cause greater spikes in insulin production, which causes the body to retain sodium. More sodium= more water retention. If you're losing a pound a week I certainly think that it could be masked by water retention. Maybe cut back on the fruit just a bit, or stick to ones that have a lower glycemic index, like cherries and grapefruit.0
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i think everyone is right about eating too little and gaining muscle mass. the same thing happened to me. try seeing is theresa change in your inches0
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Sounds like a diet "doctor" to me
Very sound advice on eating between BMR and TDEE. Do that.0 -
It's this diet doctor that my friends have all gone to...and they've all successfully lost TONS of weight! One lost 80, one lost 50, and I'm not sure about the other...
To be fair, I have less to lose than they did. I'm down to needing to lose between 20 and 40 pounds (20 will get me into the healthy range...40 will put me closer to the bottom of my healthy range...)
For the first month, I wasn't allowed to eat anything except fish/meat, non-starchy vegetables and 2 servings of fruit per day. I lost 18 1/2 pounds that first month. Since then I keep losing and gaining another 2 pounds and I seem to be stuck around 20 pounds of weight loss. (The rest on my ticker was from before I started this diet).
Now that I'm past that first month, I'm allowed to eat a few more things, but I also had the food sensitivity testing done which took away a lot of my options...I can't have anything dairy, I can't have eggs, etc. I'm allowed more fruits now (in moderation) and I'm allowed a little more starch (again in moderation...like a serving of carrots once a week...stuff like that). And I was finally told yesterday that I can add in some more of the good carbs (again in moderation...a small serving of brown rice once a week...half a sweet potato...)
I have about as much respect for diet doctors as I do for docs who prescribe oxy to addicts. They're in it for the money. They have to prescribe drastic measures to yield drastic results or people won't come back.
Please take the advice you are being given here to heart. Learn to reach your goals the safe and healthy way. You CAN do it, but you need to reset your thinking, habits, and metabolism.0 -
I also experienced the same thing. I worked out 6 days a week and burned more calories than I was eating and NOTHING. I was told to up my calories so I did and tada guess who started losing the weight?! I dont eat ALL my calories back but I do go over my 1200 calories a day when I am working out.0
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For the past few weeks, I've been going to the gym EVERY DAY and sometimes even TWICE a day! And, honestly, the exercise seems to be what stopped the weight loss....which doesn't make ANY sense!
And yet the scale isn't budging! It moves half a pound down, and then a pound back up...I think I've literally lost 1 pound in the last 2-3 weeks.
Starting or changing an exercise regimen will cause the muscles to retain more water to heal themselves. The weight of the extra water can easily mask part or all of the weight lost in fat. It's temporary, so drink a bunch of water a be patient.
Also, be careful of over-training. You would probably benefit from a rest day once a week.
Also, ask your doctor if you should still be eating so low when you are exercising that much. Even if you have some sort of metabolic disorder, like hypothyroidism, that justifies so few calories, you may need to eat the exercise calories back. And don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion.0
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